Verse-by-Verse Bible Commentary
Psalms 113:9

Clarke's Commentary

Verse Psalms 113:9. He maketh the barren woman to keep house — This is a figure to point out the desolate, decreasing state of the captives in Babylon, and the happy change which took place on their return to their own land. These are nearly the words of Hannah, 1 Samuel 2:5.

ANALYSIS OF THE HUNDRED AND THIRTEENTH PSALM

The scope of this Psalm is the same with those that went before, that is, to excite men to praise God.

This Psalm contains three parts: -

I. An exhortation to God's servants to praise him.

II. A form set down how and where to praise him, Psalms 113:2-3.

III. The reasons to persuade us to it. 1. By his infinite power, Psalms 113:4-5. 2. His providence, as displayed in heaven and earth, Psalms 113:6.

I. The prophet exhorts men "to praise the Lord;" and,

1. He doubles and trebles his exhortation, that it be not coldly but zealously done, or else to show that he alone is worthy of praise.

2. "Praise the Lord, O ye servants," c.: They are to praise him, for he is their Lord praise him likewise with a pure heart.

II. The manner of praising him. Say,

1. "Blessed be the name of the Lord." Job 1:21.

2. "From this time forth," c.: In prosperity or adversity, in this life or the future.

3. "From the rising of the sun," &c.: In all places, even over all the world.

III: And now follow the reasons to persuade men to praise God.

1. Because of his majesty, infinite power, and glory, which extend not to earth alone, but heaven also: "The Lord is high above," &c.

2. Because of his providence, benignity, and bounty, which being united with so much majesty, appear the more admirable. "Who is like the Lord," &c. None in heaven or on earth are to be compared to him. "Yet he humbleth himself," &c. He is present with the highest angels, and with the poorest of his creatures, to help them.

In "humbling himself to behold the things on earth" he gives two instances: 1. In states and kingdoms. 2. In private families.

1. In states: "He raiseth up the poor," &c.: Let then no man say, that God does not regard them that are of low estate he raiseth up the poor, to the end "that he may set him with the princes," &c.

2. In private families: "He maketh the barren woman," &c. "Children are a heritage of the Lord." Some expositors refer the meaning of this last verse to the Church of the Gentiles: "Rejoice, O barren," &c. Isaiah 54:1.

Bridgeway Bible Commentary

Psalms 113-114 When hope seems gone

Psalms 113:0 to 118 form a collection called the Hallel. Israelites sang the Hallel at various annual festivals, the most important of which was the Passover. They sang Psalms 113:0 and 114 before eating the meal, and Psalms 115:0 to 118 after (cf. Matthew 26:30).

From east to west, now and for ever, God is worthy to be worshipped by those who serve him (113:1-4). Although he is enthroned in the highest place, he is concerned about his creatures on earth (5-6). He helps those who are downtrodden and gives new life and purpose to those who have given up all hope (7-9).
The merciful salvation of God was seen in the events of the exodus. God released his people from the humiliating slavery of Egypt and gave them new life by dwelling among them (114:1-2). In the course of doing this, he divided the Red Sea, stopped the flow of the Jordan River and sent an earthquake on Mount Sinai (3-4). All was the work of God alone. Not only did he rescue them from their hopeless situation in Egypt, but he also looked after them throughout their journey to Canaan (5-8).

Coffman's Commentaries on the Bible

"Praise ye Jehovah. Praise, Oh ye servants of Jehovah. Blessed be the name of Jehovah From this time forth and forevermore. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same Jehovah's name is to be praised. Jehovah is high above all nations, And his glory above the heavens. Who is like unto Jehovah our God, That hath his seat on high, That humbleth himself to behold The things that are in heaven and in the earth? He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, And lifteth up the needy from the dunghill; That he may set him with princes, Even with the princes of the people. He maketh the barren woman to keep house, And to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye Jehovah."

"In Judaism, Psalms 113-118 are known as the Egyptian Hallel (`Hallel' means `Praise'). Psalms 113 and Psalms 114 were sung before the Passover meal; and Psalms 115-118 were sung after it. They were also sung at the feasts of Pentecost, Tabernacles, and Dedication (Hanukkah, or the Feast of Lights)."C. M. Miller, co-author with Anthony L. Ash, p. 373. Delitzsch adds that, "The Hallel was also sung on New Year's Day and on the Day of Atonement."F. Delitzsch, Vol. V-C, p. 202.

One of these customary closing songs (Psalms 115-118), "Must have been the one that Jesus and his apostles sang following the Last Supper (Matthew 26:30)."Henry H. Halley's Bible Handbook (Grand Rapids: Zondervan Publishing House), p. 247.

"From this time forth and forevermore" This expression also occurs in Psalms 115:8; Psalms 121:8; Psalms 125:2; Psalms 131:3. It means for one to praise God regularly and consistently throughout one's whole life.

"That humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven and in the earth." The marginal reading gives this: "That humbleth himself to regard the heavens and the earth." The RSV reads it, "Who looks far down upon the heavens and the earth."

"He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth up the needy from the dunghill" The RSV reads, "He raises the poor from the dust, and lifts the needy from the ash heap." This verse breathes the spirit of "The Magnificat," the marvelous song of the virgin Mary. "He hath put down princes from their thrones and exalted them of low degree." (Luke 1:52).

"The dunghill, or ash heap" This appears to have been the city dump, or its equivalent. Delitzsch tells us that, "In Syria and Palestine the man who has been shut out from society lies upon the mezbele (the dunghill, or ash heap), by day calling upon passers-by for alms, and by night hiding himself in the ashes that have been warmed by the sun."F. Delitzsch, op. cit., p. 205.

"He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children" The psalmist here has adopted some of the phrases from 1 Samuel 2:8, where they are found in the Song of Hannah, indicating that the psalmist was referring to her as an example of the "barren woman" who became the joyful mother of children.

This verse is also equally true of Sarah; and the plural "children" does not deny this. In the scriptures, "child" is sometimes understood as "children." In Genesis 21:7, Sarah is quoted as saying, "Who would have said unto Abraham, that Sarah should have given children suck? for I have borne him a son."

This usage of the word "children" is still current in the world. As E. M. Zerr stated it, "When the captain of a sinking ship orders that women and children should enter the lifeboats first; that cannot mean that a woman with only one child would be denied."E. M. Zerr, p. 173.

Leupold declares that, "all commentators agree that the psalm is post-exilic."H. C. Leupold, p. 789.

Also, he noted that "the barren woman" here is Israel, the nation itself. After Israel's return from Babylon, she could have been compared to a poor man sitting and begging on the city dump, or to a childless woman mourning her barrenness. "Thus the psalm is to be thought of as a word of comfort in evil and depressing times, that it was written for the `worm' Jacob (Isaiah 41:14), and for the `afflicted and storm-tossed one' (Isaiah 54:11)."Ibid.

Barnes' Notes on the Whole Bible

He maketh the barren woman to keep house ... - Margin, as in Hebrew, “to dwell in a house.” That is, to be at the head of a family. See the notes at Psalms 68:6. Compare 1 Samuel 2:5. This, too, is suggested as a reason why God should be praised and adored. In instances where all hope of posterity is cut off, he interposes, and diffuses joy through a dwelling. We may look abroad, and see abundant occasion for praising God, in his condescension to human affairs - in his lifting up the poor from the humblest condition - in his exalting those of lowly rank to places of honor, trust, wealth, and power; but, after all, if we wish to Find occasions of praise that will most tenderly affect the heart, and be connected with the warmest affections of the soul, they will be most likely to be found in the domestic circle - in the mutual love - the common joy - the tender feelings - which bind together the members of a family. In such a family, the words with which this psalm begins and ends, “Hallelujah,” “Hallelujah,” are especially appropriate; and if any community on earth should apply these words to itself it should be such a family, called upon by everything tender, holy, and lovely, to “praise the” Lord.

Calvin's Commentary on the Bible

9Who maketh the barren woman to dwell in the family He relates another work of God, which if, apparently, not so notable, ought not, on that account, the less to engage our thoughts. Unimpressed as we are by the ordinary works of God, we are constrained to express our astonishment when a woman who has been for a long period barren, unexpectedly becomes the mother of a numerous family. The Hebrew term, הבית, habbayith, is to be understood, not simply of a house, but also of a household, — that is, the thing containing, for that which is contained, — just as the Greeks apply οικος, and the Latins domus, to a household. The meaning is, that the woman who was formerly barren is blessed with fruitfulness, and fills the house with children. He attributes joy to mothers, because, though the hearts of all are prone to aspire after wealth, or honor, or pleasures, or any other advantages, yet is progeny preferred to every thing else. Wherefore, since God superintends the ordinary course of nature, alters the current of events, elevates those of abject condition and ignoble extraction, and makes the barren woman fruitful, our insensibility is very culpable, if we do not attentively contemplate the works of his hand.

Smith's Bible Commentary

Psalms 113:1-9 begins and ends with Hallelujah.

Praise ye the LORD. Praise, O ye servants of the LORD, praise the name of Yahweh. Blessed be the name of the LORD ( Psalms 113:1-2 )

Or blessed be the name Yahweh.

from this time forth and for evermore. From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same Yahweh's name is to be praised ( Psalms 113:2-3 ).

So you see, again here is the compounding of thought with poetry. The compounding of the idea of praising the Lord. Blessed be the Lord from the rising of the sun and so forth. And this to them is beautiful poetry because you're compounding the thought and the idea.

Yahweh is high above all nations, his glory above the heavens ( Psalms 113:4 ).

And again, even in that, the contrast, "above the nations, above the heavens."

Who is like unto Yahweh our God, who dwells on high, who humbles himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth! He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, he lifts the needy out of the dunghill; That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people. He makes the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Hallelujah ( Psalms 113:5-9 ).

And so the psalmist just exalting over God. "

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

Psalms 113

Psalms 113-118 constitute the "Egyptian Hallel." The designation "Egyptian Hallel" originated because of the emphasis on Egypt in Psalms 114. Hallel is the imperative singular form of the Hebrew word (lit. praise, cf. Hallelujah) and is a command to praise. The Jews sang the "Egyptian Hallel" (113-118) and the "Great Hallel" (120-136), two collections of psalms, at the three yearly feasts that all the males had to attend: Passover, Pentecost, and Tabernacles. Most of the "Great Hallel" psalms are pilgrimage songs. The Jews also used these psalms on other holy days, including their new moon festivals. At Passover it was customary to sing Psalms 113, 114 before the meal and 115-118 and 136 after it (cf. Matthew 26:30; Mark 14:26). A third collection of Hallel psalms (146-150) was incorporated into the daily prayers of synagogue worship after the destruction of Jerusalem in A.D. 70.

"There was more relevance in these psalms to the Exodus-the greater Exodus-than could be guessed in Old Testament times." [Note: Kidner, Psalms 73-150, p. 401.]

This psalm of descriptive praise calls on God’s servants to praise Him because, even though He occupies an exalted position, He has humbled Himself to lift up the lowly (cf. Philippians 2:7). It expresses thoughts similar to Hannah’s prayer (1 Samuel 2:1-10) and Mary’s Magnificat (Luke 1:46-55). [Note: J. J. Stewart Perown, The Book of Psalms , 2:322.]

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

2. Causes to praise the Lord 113:4-9

Dr. Constable's Expository Notes

The second reason is that He condescends to pay attention to His creatures. One example of this is the way He occasionally exalts very poor or underprivileged people to positions of wealth and influence. He did this literally for Job, and He does it spiritually for every believer. Another example is how He sometimes makes barren women conceive and bear children. Sarah, Rebekah, Rachel, and Hannah received this blessing, to name a few individuals. In view of God’s promises to make the Israelites numerous, the ability to bear children was one they valued greatly.

The psalm closes as it opened, with a call to praise the Lord. Psalms 115-117 end with the same exhortation.

The Lord is worthy of praise because He graciously gives great blessings to those who have no hope of obtaining them from any other source. [Note: See Allen, And I . . ., pp. 111-28.]

Gill's Exposition of the Whole Bible

He maketh the barren woman to keep house,.... Or "to dwell in the house", as the Septuagint, Vulgate Latin, and other versions; or rather "to cause the house to be inhabited"; to fill the house with inhabitants, to build up the house, as the barren woman, when made fruitful, does, as Rachel and Leah built up the house of Israel, Ruth 4:11. This may be applied to the church of God, as it is to the congregation of Israel by the Targum,

"who makes the congregation of Israel, which is like to a barren woman, that sitteth sorrowful, to dwell with the men of her house, full of multitudes.''

Jarchi interprets it of Zion, who was as a barren woman; see Isaiah 54:1 Galatians 4:27. It may be illustrated by the case of the primitive and apostolic church, which at first had but very few converts, but afterwards, both in Judea and in the Gentile world, had large numbers; as the church in the latter day will also have, when the fulness of the Gentiles is brought in, and the nation of the Jews born at once.

And to be a joyful mother of children; as the barren woman is when she becomes the mother of children; and indeed every woman rejoices when a man is born into the world, John 16:21, and so does the church of Christ and people of God, when souls are born again among them; this causes great joy among the saints; see Psalms 87:4.

Praise ye the Lord; not only for the church's fruitfulness, but for all the great and good things the Lord has vouchsafed to do for his people, mentioned in this psalm.

Henry's Complete Commentary on the Bible

      1 Praise ye the LORD. Praise, O ye servants of the LORD, praise the name of the LORD.   2 Blessed be the name of the LORD from this time forth and for evermore.   3 From the rising of the sun unto the going down of the same the LORD's name is to be praised.   4 The LORD is high above all nations, and his glory above the heavens.   5 Who is like unto the LORD our God, who dwelleth on high,   6 Who humbleth himself to behold the things that are in heaven, and in the earth!   7 He raiseth up the poor out of the dust, and lifteth the needy out of the dunghill;   8 That he may set him with princes, even with the princes of his people.   9 He maketh the barren woman to keep house, and to be a joyful mother of children. Praise ye the LORD.

      In this psalm,

      I. We are extorted to give glory to God, to give him the glory due to his name.

      1. The invitation is very pressing: praise you the Lord, and again and again, Praise him, praise him; blessed be his name, for it is to be praised, Psalms 113:1-3; Psalms 113:1-3. This intimates, (1.) That it is a necessary and most excellent duty, greatly pleasing to God, and has a large room in religion. (2.) That it is a duty we should much abound in, in which we should be frequently employed and greatly enlarged. (3.) That it is work which we are very backward to, and which we need to be engaged and excited to by precept upon precept and line upon line. (4.) That those who are much in praising God themselves will court others to it, both because they find the weight of the work, and that there is need of all the help they can fetch in (there is employment for all hearts, all hands, and all little enough), and because they find the pleasure of it, which they wish all their friends may share in.

      2. The invitation is very extensive. Observe, (1.) From whom God has praise--from his own people; they are here called upon to praise God, as those that will answer the call: Praise, O you servants of the Lord! They have most reason to praise him; for those that attend him as his servants know him best and receive most of his favours. And it is their business to praise him; that is the work required of them as his servants: it is easy pleasant work to speak well of their Master, and do him what honour they can; if they do not, who should? Some understand it of the Levites; but, if so, all Christians are a royal priesthood, to show forth the praises of him that has called them,1 Peter 2:9. The angels are the servants of the Lord; they need not be called upon by us to praise God, yet it is a comfort to us that they do praise him, and that they praise him better than we can. (2.) From whom he ought to have praise. [1.] From all ages (Psalms 113:2; Psalms 113:2) --from this time forth for evermore. Let not this work die with us, but let us be doing it in a better world, and let those that come after us be doing it in this. Let not our seed degenerate, but let God be praised through all the generations of time, and not in this only. We must bless the Lord in our day, by saying, with the psalmist, Blessed be his name now and always. [2.] From all places--from the rising of the sun to the going down of the same, that is, throughout the habitable world. Let all that enjoy the benefit of the sun rising (and those that do so must count upon it that the sun will set) give thanks for that light to the Father of lights. God's name is to be praised; it ought to be praised by all nations; for in every place, from east to west, there appear the manifest proofs and products of his wisdom, power, and goodness; and it is to be lamented that so great a part of mankind are ignorant of him, and give that praise to others which is due to him alone. But perhaps there is more in it; as the Psalms 113:2 gave us a glimpse of the kingdom of glory, intimating that God's name shall be blessed for ever (when time shall be no more that praise shall be the work of heaven), so this verse gives us a glimpse of the kingdom of grace in the gospel-dispensation of it. When the church shall no longer be confined to the Jewish nation, but shall spread itself all the world over, when in every place spiritual incense shall be offered to our God (Malachi 1:11), then from the rising to the setting of the sun the Lord's name shall be praised by some in all countries.

      II. We are here directed what to give him the glory of.

      1. Let us look up with an eye of faith, and see how high his glory is in the upper world, and mention that to his praise, Psalms 113:4; Psalms 113:5. We are, in our praises, to exalt his name, for he is high, his glory is high. (1.) High above all nations, their kings though ever so pompous, their people though ever so numerous. Whether it be true of an earthly king or no that though he is major singulis--greater than individuals, he is minor universis--less than the whole, we will not dispute; but we are sure it is not true of the King of kings. Put all the nations together, and he is above them all; they are before him as the drop of the bucket and the small dust of the balance,Isaiah 60:15; Isaiah 60:17. Let all nations think and speak highly of God, for he is high above them all. (2.) High above the heavens; the throne of his glory is in the highest heavens, which should raise our hearts in praising him, Lamentations 3:41. His glory is above the heavens, that is, above the angels; he is above what they are, for their brightness is nothing to his,--above what they do, for they are under his command and do his pleasure,--and above what even they can speak him to be. He is exalted above all blessing and praise, not only all ours, but all theirs. We must therefore say, with holy admiration, Who is like unto the Lord our God? who of all the princes and potentates of the earth? who of all the bright and blessed spirits above? None can equal him, none dare compare with him. God is to be praised as transcendently, incomparably, and infinitely great; for he dwells on high, and from on high sees all, and rules all, and justly attracts all praise to himself.

      2. Let us look around with an eye of observation, and see how extensive his goodness is in the lower world, and mention that to his praise. He is a God who exalts himself to dwell, who humbles himself in heaven, and in earth. Some think there is a transposition, He exalts himself to dwell in heaven, he humbles himself to behold on earth; but the sense is plain enough as we take it, only observe, God is said to exalt himself and to humble himself, both are his own act and deed; as he is self-existent, so he is both the fountain of his own honour and the spring of his own grace; God's condescending goodness appears,

      (1.) In the cognizance he takes of the world below him. His glory is above the nations and above the heavens, and yet neither is neglected by him. God is great, yet he despises not any,Job 36:5. He humbles himself to behold all his creatures, all his subjects, though he is infinitely above them. Considering the infinite perfection, sufficiency, and felicity of the divine nature, it must be acknowledged as an act of wonderful condescension that God is pleased to take into the thoughts of his eternal counsel, and into the hand of his universal Providence, both the armies of heaven and the inhabitants of the earth (Daniel 4:35); even in this dominion he humbles himself. [1.] It is condescension in him to behold the things in heaven, to support the beings, direct the motions, and accept the praises and services, of the angels themselves; for he needs them not, nor is benefited by them. [2.] Much more is it condescension in him to behold the things that are in the earth, to visit the sons of men, and regard them, to order and overrule their affairs, and to take notice of what they say and do, that he may fill the earth with his goodness, and so set us an example of stooping to do good, of taking notice of, and concerning ourselves about, our inferiors. If it be such condescension for God to behold things in heaven and earth, what an amazing condescension was it for the Son of God to come from heaven to earth and take our nature upon him, that he might seek and save those that were lost! Herein indeed he humbled himself.

      (2.) In the particular favour he sometimes shows to the least and lowest of the inhabitants of this meaner lower world. He not only beholds the great things in the earth, but the meanest, and those things which great men commonly overlook. Not does he merely behold them, but does wonders for them, and things that are very surprising, out of the common road of providence and chain of causes, which shows that the world is governed, not by a course of nature, for that would always run in the same channel, but by a God of nature, who delights in doing things we looked not for. [1.] Those that have been long despicable are sometimes, on a sudden, made honourable (Psalms 113:78; Psalms 113:78): He raises up the poor out of the dust, that he may set him with princes. First, Thus God does sometimes magnify himself, and his own wisdom, power, and sovereignty. When he has some great work to do he chooses to employ those in it that were least likely, and least thought of for it by themselves or others, to the highest post of honour: Gideon is fetched from threshing, Saul from seeking the asses, and David from keeping the sheep; the apostles are sent from fishing to be fishers of men. The treasure of the gospel is put into earthen vessels, and the weak and foolish ones of the world are pitched upon to be preachers of it, to confound the wise and mighty (1 Corinthians 1:27; 1 Corinthians 1:28), that the excellency of the power may be of God, and all may see that promotion comes from him. Secondly, Thus God does sometimes reward the eminent piety and patience of his people who have long groaned under the burden of poverty and disgrace. When Joseph's virtue was tried and manifested he was raised from the prison-dust and set with princes. Those that are wise will observe such returns of Providence, and will understand by them the loving-kindness of the Lord. Some have applied this to the work of redemption by Jesus Christ, and not unfitly; for through him poor fallen men are raised out of the dust (one of the Jewish rabbies applies it to the resurrection of the dead), nay, out of the dunghill of sin, and set among princes, among angels, those princes of his people. Hannah had sung to this purport, 1 Samuel 2:6-8. [2.] Those that have been long barren are sometimes, on a sudden, made fruitful, Psalms 113:9; Psalms 113:9. This may look back to Sarah and Rebecca, Rachel, Hannah, and Samson's mother, or forward to Elizabeth; and many such instances there have been, in which God has looked on the affliction of his handmaids and taken away their reproach. He makes the barren woman to keep house, not only builds up the family, but thereby finds the heads of the family something to do. Note, Those that have the comfort of a family must take the care of it; bearing children and guiding the house are put together, 1 Timothy 5:14. When God sets the barren in a family he expects that she should look well to the ways of her household,Proverbs 31:27. She is said to be a joyful mother of children, not only because, even in common cases, the pain is forgotten, for joy that a man-child is born into the world, but there is particular joy when a child is born to those that have been long childless (as Luke 1:14) and therefore there ought to be particular thanksgiving. Praise you the Lord. Yet, in this case, rejoice with trembling; for, though the sorrowful mother be made joyful, the joyful mother may be made sorrowful again, if the children be either removed from her or embittered to her. This, therefore, may be applied to the gospel-church among the Gentiles (the building of which is illustrated by this similitude, Isaiah 54:1, Sing, O barren! thou that didst not bear, and Galatians 4:27), for which we, who, being sinners of the Gentiles, are children of the desolate, have reason to say, Praise you the Lord.